Trump indicator comprising rotatable, lockable member with radially projecting symbols



Dec. 20, 1966 J- B. BEACH TRUMP INDICATOR COMPRISING ROTATABLE, LOCKABLE MEMBER WITH RADIALLY PROJECTING SYMBOLS Filed July 29, 1963 John 8. Beach INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,292,927 TRUMP INDICATOR COMPRISING ROTATABLE,

LOCKABLE MEMBER WITH RADIALLY PRO- JECTING SYMBOLS John B. Beach, 48 Squires Ave., Defiance, Ohio 43512 Filed July 29, 1963, Ser. No. 298,114 4 Claims. (Cl. 273148) The instant invention is generally related to card games of the type requiring the designation of a particular trump category, such as bridge, and is more particularly concerned with a device for selectively designating the selected trump category in a readily discernible manner throughout the playing of the hand or game.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a trump indicator which can be conveniently positioned upon a card table in a manner so as to immediately apprise all of the players of the trump suit.

In conjunction with the above object, it is also a significant object of the instant invention to provide a trump indicator which can selectively position a symbol corresponding to each of the trump suits in -a prominent position and maintain this symbol in the prominent or predominant position in a relatively fixed manner thus preventing any accidental dislocation.

Further, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a trump indicator which is, while relatively simple in construction and operation, capable of effectively performing its intended function over an almost unlimited length of time.

Also, it is, inasmuch as the indicator is to be on display throughout the playing of the card game, a significant object of the instant invention to provide a device which is attractive in appearance and capable of being made as large or small as might be necessitated by space requirements.

In achieving the above objects, it is intended that the trump indicator of the instant invention consists basically of a flat horizontally orientated base having two spaced support standards projecting vertically therefrom and rotatably mounting therebetween a vertically orientated spoked wheel or rim upon which four symbols corresponding to the cardsuits are radially mounted at the quarter points so as to project beyond the rim for selective positioning in the uppermost predominant position, a camming lock means being provided for releasably retaining the wheel with any one of the symbols in the uppermost predominant position.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the trump indicator comprising the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 3-3 in FIG- URE 2 and particularly illustrating the locking arm engaged with :one of the spokes.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral is used to generally designate the trump indicator comprising the instant invention. This trump indicator includes an enlarged flat base 12 which is adapted to stably support the entire indicator 10 upon a card playing surface such as a table. This base 12, as will be appreciated from FIGURE 1, is of a size so as to enable the mounting thereon of, in addition to the actual indicating unit 14, score card retaining clip means 16, a marking means or pencil holder 18, this holder 18 consisting of a loosely wound coil spring arranged in the shape-of an inverted cone with the lower end 20 embedded within the base, and any suitable advertising media such as might be desired.

The indicating unit 14 itself consists of two vertical support standards 22 having their lower ends 24 positioned within suitable recesses in the base 12 and projecting therefrom in spaced parallel relation to each other. An indicating member or wheel 26 is rotatably mounted between the upper ends of the standards 22, this member 26 consisting of .a ring-like rim 28 and two diametrically extending spokes 30 arranged at right angles to each other, the actual rotatable mounting of the wheel 26 being effected by means of laterally directed stu'b axles 32 extending in opposite directions from the center of the wheel 26 and rotatably engaged within blind bores 34 within the opposed standards 22.

Mounted on the wheel 26 and projecting radially therefrom in line with each end of the spokes 30 are symbols 36 resembling the pips of the four conventional card' suits, that is a club, a diamond, a heart, and a spade. It is intended that the appropriate symbol 36 corresponding to the chosen trump suit to be positioned uppermost, such as for example the heart symbol in FIGURE 1, thus displaying the symbol 36 in a predominant and readily observed position a substantial distance above the top of the standards 22.

In order to maintain the chosen suit symbol 36 in the uppermost predominant location, a locking means is provided in the form of a locking arm 38, this arm projecting laterally from one of the standards 22 and including a gripping portion on its projecting end consisting of a central recess 40 having camming surfaces 42 located on each side thereof, the lobe of each of the camming surfaces 42 projecting beyond the vertical plane of the spokes 30 whereby a positive force is needed to ride the spokes over the cam surface and into the holding recess 40, the unit of course possessing sufiicient resiliency so as to allow for this camming action.

It is intended that the trump indicator 10 be preferably formed of a suit-able plastic material, however, it will of course be appreciated that any other equivalent material can be used within the scope of the instant invention, the various components being appropriately colored, particularly the symbols 36 so as to correspond to the color of the various suits.

It should be appreciated from the above description that a novel trump indicator has been defined, this indicator enabling upon the choosing of the trump suit, a visible indication of this trump suit by rotating the symbol bearing wheel until the desired symbol is orientated uppermost, the spoke aligned with this symbol being simultaneously releasably locked in position so as to prevent accidental further rotation of the wheel.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable mcdfications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A trump indicator consisting of a horizontal base, support standard means engaged therewith and projecting vertically therefrom, a vertically orientated relatively flat member .rotatably mounted on the upper end of said standard means, said member including peripherally spaced portions formed so as to indicate various trump categories, said portions being selectively positionable in an uppermost position upon a rotation of said member, and means for releasably fixing said member against rotation for selectively maintaining each portion in said uppermost position, said member consisting of a ring-like rim, a pair of 'diametricalspokes extending there-across at right angles to each other, said portions consisting of four symbols corresponding to the four card suits, each of said sym'bols projecting radially from the rim at a different end of one of the spokes.

2. The device of claim.1 wherein said means for'fixing said member against rotation consists of a locking arm projecting from said standard means and having a spoke grasping portion thereon selectively engageable with the spokes with the engaged spoke position vertically.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said gnaspingportion consists of a central recess in the projecting end of the locking arm and a cam surface on each side'of said central recess, the lobe of each cam surface being centrally located thereon and projecting 'beyond the adjacent vertical plane of the spokes so as to require a positive force to ride the spokes over the cam surfaces. eachcam surface, on the opposite sides of the lobe, having sloping camming faces so as to enable a riding of the spokes thereover in opposite directions.

4. A trump indicator comprising support means, an indicating member rotatably mounted on said support means, said member including a pair of spokes orientated at substantially right angles to each other and fixed to each other at the centers thereof so as to define four coplanar radial spoke sections, each radial section having, on the outer end portion thereof, a symbol corresponding to one of the four card suits, each symbol being different so as to indicate the four suits, said symbol ibearing end portions being selectively positionable in a predominant position, and means selectively and re- 4 leasably engageable with said spoke sections for fixing said member against rotation with-a selectedone of said end portions in said predominant position, said last-mentioned means comprising a locking arm fixed to and projecting from said support means and having a spoke grasping outer end thereon selectively engageable with:

the spokes, said grasping end comprising a central recess and a cam surface on each side of said central recess, the lobe of each cam surface being centrally located thereon and projecting beyond the adjacent vertical plane of the spoke sections so as to require a positive force to ride the spoke sections over the cam surfaces, each cam surface, on theopposite sides of the lobe, having sloping camrning faces so as to enable a riding of the spokes thereover in opposite directions.

References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 157,335 12/ 1874 Lyon 273--102 1,010,113 11/1911 Bergquist 211-69 1,212,943 1/1917 Hart 273-102.1 1,350,958 8/1920 Davis 39-3 X 1,789,890 1/ 1931 Agrell. 2,134,039 10/ 1938 Gibbs 273-148 X 2,245,518 6/1941 Allen.

2,476,560 7/ 1949 Norgard 116-13 3 X 2,861,538 11/1958 Evans 116-133 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,296 1910 Great Britain. 460,391 1/ 1937 Great Britain.

DELB ERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

ANTON O. OEOHSDE, Examiner. 

1. A TRUMP INDICATOR CONSISTING OF A HORIZONTAL BASE, SUPPORT STANDARD MEANS ENGAGED THEREWITH AND PROJECTING VERTICALLY THEREFROM, A VERTICALY ORIENTATED RELATIVELY FLAT MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF SIAD STANDARD MEANS, SAID MEMBER INCLUDING PERIPHERALLY SPACED PORTIONS FORMED SO AS TO INDICATE VARIOUS TRUMP CATEGORIES, SAID PORTIONS BEING SELECTIVELY POSITIONABLE IN AN UPPERMOST POSITION UPON A ROTATION OF SAID MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY FIXING SAID MEMBER AGAINST ROTATION FOR SELECTIVELY MAINTAINING EACH PORTION IN SAID UPPERMOST POSITION, SAID MEMBER CONSISTING OF A RING-LIKE RIM, A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALL SPOKES EXTENDING THERE-ACROSS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER, SAID PORTIONS CONSISTING OF FOUR SYMBOLS CORRESPONDING TO THE FOUR CARDS SUITS, EACH OF SAID SYMBOLS PROJECTING RADIALLY FROM THE RIM AT A DIFFERENT END OF ONE OF THE SPOKES. 